When it comes to most things in life, being a extremist isn't the answer. Life is, in fact, simpler than we make it out to be, don't you think? Yet most of us live it trying to unveil it like it's an ancient, mystical secret. This is also true when it comes to our beauty habits.
From jars of probiotics and supplements… to colon cleanses, painful treatments and food restrictions, we make ourselves believe convenience and health come from the packaged stuff.
What if our bodies were really that complicated that we could only be healthy and beautiful by eating goji berries and drinking detox juices every morning? Wouldn’t that be awful?
I personally believe that our bodies are simply miraculous and giving. If we love them and treat them well (most of the time) they'll treat us with the same level of love. Of course, this might not be the truth for people who sadly live their lives with life-long health issues – but for the average, lucky human being it's really a no-brainer.
Below are my cheat tricks for a natural cleanse:
1. Drink water instead of juice: I can almost feel a lot of you frowning as you read this... but hear me out. For ages, humans have been able to live in good health and be hydrated by the mere act of drinking water. That's my best detoxifying trick – and let me tell you, I’ve tried several other whacko ways.
2. Eat your probiotics: Some people's diet plans might require for them to take a probiotic supplement... but for those who eat real food and have no dietary restrictions or allergies, eating probiotics is the best option. I'm not only talking kimchi (though I personally love it) but kefir, yogurt, miso, apple cider vinegar… among others. The aim is to make healthy bacteria in our bodies available to fight the bad ones.
3. Cut down your (bad) sugar and fat intake: I had to add the "bad" part because there are plenty of GREAT sugar and fat sources. You can easily pinpoint if something is "fat but good" if it comes from the earth or even an animal. Avocado, eggs, fruit and vegetables are examples of the best natural sources of fat and sugar.
4. No-juice life: Most of my Brazilian friends look shocked when I tell them I'm not a juice drinker. I do like an occasional vegetable juice drink but I NEVER drink fruit juices, not even natural ones. My policy is that the more fiber, the better and the more filling. So instead of juicing, say, 4 oranges to make myself a cup of juice, I peel the orange and eat it whole.
5. Liver health is simple: Realistically, no one in this world has perfect liver health – that goes for non-drinkers too (Ok, maybe Gwyneth Paltrow). Everything we ingest can damage our liver, even common painkillers and viruses that are out of our control. To keep our liver in good health, cutting down (Notice I'm not saying removing) on the things that hit it the hardest is a great practice. Have 1 cup of coffee instead of 4 (guilty on that count), make drinking wine a "rare thing" and make refined sugars and complex carbs an absolute NO.
Last but not least, we all have an acute sense of what's right and what's wrong for each one of us. We know it because our bodies and our skin react to anything and everything we put in and on them – so being balanced and listening to our bodies is always the best way to show them some love.
